Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-07
THE DOCTORS SESSION TO-DAY.
PROF. SEMMOLA TELLS THEM HIS
VIEWS OF BACTERIOLOGY.

Archaeological Entertafnments,e etc.
The first delegates to arrive at the general session
OF the congress at Albaugh's this morning found
the curtain drawn and two distinguished looking
gentlemen standing upon the stage in conversa-
tion with Dr. Davis and DR.. Gihon. One OF these,
who was I'm earnest conversation with DR.. Gihon,
Was DR.. Mariana SemmOla, the Italian senator and
father OF science" az he Is called in his own
country, who was to read the very interesting
paper OF the day. The other was stranger In the
hall, and was standing silently by the side OF
President Davis. He was tall man OF very dark
complexion, with straight black hair brushed back
| from rather high forehead, large, soft, brown
eyes. a sharp Roman nose, brOnZed skin, and q
very long beard OF raven black. His cOuntenance
bore that mild, almost pathetic, expression SO
common 10 Italians. He was DIR. Durante, the
Italian delegate, who withdrew from the congress
on account OF the precedence given his country
man, DR.. SemmOla, in being selected to reply to
the welcome address OF Secretary Bayard. Their
quarrel had been settled, DR.. Durante had come
BACK into the congress- and was TO preside at the
meeting this morning to seal the amcaDle COM
pact. Dr. Durante took a seat by the side OF the
president, Dr. Gihon, and DR.. Semmoia sat be-
sat at the table to The right, and s1rgeon-Generai
Hamilton occupied his place on the leIt Dr:
Garnett stood looking over some memoranda and
Dr. Atkinson held big bundle OF dispatches In
his hand.
The attendance was smaller than on previous
days, since tie address was to be in French, which
many delegates could not understand. President
Davis called the congress to order, announcing
that DR.. Atkenson, who is the postmaster-geherai
names OF those for whom there were letters and
dispatches
THE SOCIAL ENTERTAINMENTS.
DIR. Garnett then advancing, said SIT had been
ascertaned that the tickets TO the banquet recep-
tion at the Pension Building on Thursday night
by many persons who do not belong to the medi-
cal profession, and IN order to avoid recurrence
OF the humilating spectacle presented on Monday
night last, the committee have decided to cancel
all banquet tickets heretofore issued, and issue
new ticket, which can be procured ut the ticket
box OF this opera house during the day; those ap-
plying for such tickets Will not FAIL It is hoped to
wear their badges and present, II possible, their
certificate OF registration.
celved at q private entrance. AS there seems TO
be some mBapprehensiOn respecting the invita-
% tlon TO &c Grassland, the country residence OF the
thatit has been decided by the to restrict
this to the families OF our foreign guests The dis
tance from the city renders 1t necessary to travel
1n carriages, making 1t as impossible to take but
limited number The ladies will be supplied with
cards OF invitation indicating the hour and point
The doctor showed considerable feeling when he
referred TO the mob at the Pension Hall, and the
President Davis announced that the committee
on collective investigation OF disease would meet
IN the Riggs House parlors promptly at O'Clock
He called particular attention to an announce
ment mat the program OF the general session had
been changed yesterday. Two addresses that were
expected not being here, there would be only one
address each morning. He urged the delegates TO
assemble promptly at 10 O'Clock In the morning.
burg, will deliver an address on the "kelatiOns
OF Dermatology to General Medicine" On Friday
ID. G. Fielding Blandlord, OF London, will deliver
insanity In Asylums and in Private Hospitals"
DR. DURANTE INTRODUCED.
After these formal announcements President
Davis led Dr. Durante to the forward part of the
stage and introduced him as the presiding oficer
able surprise to many, and the whole assemblage
broke out In loud applause. Almost at the same
moment Dr.. SemmOla wasintrOduced, and the two
side at the presidents table for a mOment-a
tableau OF reconciliation and fraternity There
was striking contrast between the two men. Dr.
has dreamy ease In his manner DR.. SEM
mOla, smaller and Older man, OF much fairer
complexion, comp, IS the embodiment OF energy,
quick, graceful in his movements, and commando
Ing the Two were again applauded, and DIR. Sem
m0ia began his address In French. The address on
might have been some beautiful poem. or some
marvel OF stirring eloQuence grandly was it de-
lvered and SO enthusiastically received. He spoke
In clear voice, and his gestures were remarkably
graceful.
PROP. sEMMoLAs ADDRESS.
The object Of medicine. Prof. Semmoia said. is to
cure disease. II there were no ills there would be
no DOCTORS To cure diseases we must know the
causes that produce them. The external causes
Invisible causes Is the aim Of medical science 10
solve this problem We must employ the true
method method OF % solving all proolems-the experimental
methOd. Before the experimental method was
known doctors lost themselves In fantas-
TIC sPeculations. Upon the discovery Of the
experimental method serious study began.
The marvellous progress OF physiology was made
In the light Of experimental methods When they
had studied the morbid condition, the doctors, in
fhQ
research, wanted 70 hurry on, because they wanted
to cure the sick. But to apply the experimental
things % e. Is II as
,niI wniie the doctors were making experiments in
their laboratory instead OF having patience to
clus1On. They had 10 make new hyDotheses. and
without knowing it they began again the same
eaI9rs that han characterized the medicine OF an
neld wnlcn were the opposite OF the experimental
method. II medicine Is to progress and be a sci
otherwise there can be nothing but renOvatiOna Of
error and loss OF time. Like
THE LABORs OF LlsYPHus
the same errors are repeated without knowing r.
The error OF the day. Prof. Semmola said. is bacte
rlology considered as the key to all natbo,oerv
Bacteriology should be studied. because r. teacts:
US what Is In the m1croScOpical world of which we
had never dreamed the exfstence-a microscon,coI
enemies OF mankind. Wedrink millions of micr"haa
In water and respire millions in the air Some
times tnese microbes anect US; sometimes killing
US In a rev hours. When 1t becomes our duty tS
cure the sick we must go slowly. because
before there has been careful demonstration
are in danger Of doing harm ~ the
sick instead or curing them. This is the great
harm modern acteriolOgy does The dnctors at
once. concluded that the microbes were the cauSe
OF the disease, whereas, in many cases the
microbes are but the effects Of the disease We
ought TO reproduce the disease artificiaiv nv this
microbe before concluding that it is the canse
The experiments made have not given any salts
factory results, except lin carbuncle and tuber
that mlcrobe In such and such disease
Is the cause Is to but ignore or set aside the
mental method. The demonstration which the
experimental method demands In this case would
be complicated, because we would nor onlv have
TO know that the micrObe existed bur we wonid
have to know what was the condition of the hloOd
necessary TO the culture OF that partfCuIar mi
crobe, and science tells us that, for the present
this Is problem we cannot solve
WE KNOW VERY LITTLE
OF the normal condition OF the blood and hio,oo1
cal chemistry Is still In its infancy. Man cannot
separate himself from these millions OF parasites
among whom he lives That bactertolOrv NAV
be guide In the cure OF disease we must not Only
learn all we can OF the microbe Itself but more
important than ALL must ascertain ali that fs nOs
sible OF the conditions OF the field of cuiture Rnt
the science OF the present KNOWS nOthin0 OF the
c0ndit0ns OF these fields OF culture in living organ.
1sms. Thus 1t Is evident that In the present con.
dition OF bactertology 1t cannot be taken as a
guide Tor the treatment OF internal diseases
The older school Of medicines smoke OF orrsnic
dispositions, or tendency to such and such a
disease. This expression had NO maanino h,,t a.